Stand Up Again
by Stariceling
Summary: Jamie-centric Zoids 0 fic. After their first battle with the Backdraft group, Brad and Bit both have to make sure for themselves that Jamie is okay.
1. Stand Up Again

I really enjoyed Zoids 0 back in the day, and I finally got around to writing a little fic for my fave, Jamie. Both chapters take place during or right after episode 4 (the first encounter with the backdraft group). At some point I'd like to write some interaction between Lina and Jamie and/or Doc and Jamie... when I can ever find the time.

* * *

The D-Bison was lying on its side, splayed out in the sand like a giant metal carcass. It was normally such a solid zoid. Brad hadn't thought anything could send it flying like that.

After Jamie had been knocked down, after the battle had really turned against them, he had been ready to ask for an excuse to join the battle. Besides, there was no guarantee that the Backdraft Group wouldn't take his Command Wolf as well if they lost.

It wasn't that disturbing to see the D-Bison looking like a dead thing, but he couldn't stop the thoughts clamoring in the back of his head. Alternating between irritatingly persistent worry and angry demands to know why Jamie hadn't just gotten _out of the way_.

The actual damage to the D-Bison seemed minimal, but it was impossible to assess the damage he was concerned with from the outside. Brad had gotten his Command Wolf up and responding again pretty easily, and now he left it a few feet from the downed zoid.

Brad ignored the noise when Bit charged up to join him, voice still raised in whoops of self-congratulation and victory. He was more intent on forcing the manual hatch controls to work, practically having to pry the cockpit open to get at Jamie.

What he found wasn't unexpected, from the lack of communication after the battle and the fact that Jamie hadn't opened the cockpit himself. Jamie was out cold, lying as still as the D-Bison itself. If not for the restraints still strapping him in place he would have slid out of the cockpit as soon as the hatch opened.

Jamie's breathing was reassuring enough. Deep, steady, even breaths. It was impossible to be sure if he had fainted or been knocked out by the fall, but he wasn't bleeding and Brad couldn't see any serious injuries.

"Jamie!"

Brad looked up at the shout and decided that Bit had only just gotten in close enough to see that Jamie was still unconscious.

"He's fine," Brad said back, as much to himself as to Bit. "Just let me get him out."

Brad wedged one shoulder under Jamie's head, wrapping his arm around the still pilot around the restraints. With his other hand he fumbled the straps apart and then off, so that Jamie slid safely into his grip.

Once Jamie was free it was easy to carry him to the ground without jostling him too badly. Brad was helped by the fact that Jamie was so light he could practically carry him one-handed. Once he was on the ground he shifted Jamie to lie more securely against his shoulder.

"Can you get the D-Bison back on its feet? I think we can just walk it back to the hover cargo. I'd rather not stick around once we get Leena back."

Brad definitely didn't trust the Backdraft Group not to scrounge up a few extra zoids and declare the battle resumed. He wanted to get off of this battlefield as soon as possible.

"Yeah, sure. But what are you gonna do, carry Jamie back?"

"If I have to."

Bit was quiet for half a heartbeat longer than normal before turning to his controls with his usual enthusiasm and shouting, "Okay, Liger! Let's show this hunk of junk who's boss!"

Turning his attention back to Jamie, Brad propped the unconscious pilot up in the shade of his Command Wolf. He ran his fingers over Jamie's head, probing through his hair for a lump, a cut, anything that might indicate where or how hard he might have hit his head.

It wasn't like Brad hadn't blacked out his fair share of times from getting knocked around during battle. His main concern now was the possibility that the restraints in Leena's zoid hadn't fit properly, and Jamie had struck his head on something when he was knocked down.

When his search turned up nothing, Brad gave Jamie a light slap on the cheek to rouse him.

It took a second, slightly harder, slap before Jamie cracked one eye open. He peered at Brad with an expression like a wince, then blinked and let both eyes come open.

"Brad?" His voice was steady, but faintly confused. "Did we lose?"

"Of course not."

Brad took his hands away from Jamie's head. He was more interested in noting that Jamie wasn't having trouble holding his head steady, and his eyes seemed to be focusing normally. It did seem that his concern was unfounded, and Brad could only feel relieved.

"Does your head hurt?"

"Everything hurts," Jamie informed him with a touch of sheepish humor, as if he was giving Brad permission to laugh at him.

Brad didn't laugh, at least not until Jamie looked past him and exclaimed, "What is Bit doing?"

Following Jamie's gaze, Brad couldn't suppress a chuckle at the sight of Bit and the Liger Zero leaping around the D-Bison, trying to shove it into a position where the automatic stabilizers could take over. Bit kept shouting, 'whoa, whoa!' and waving one arm like he was in a rodeo every time the D-Bison was pushed too far in one direction or another.

Seeing that made Brad very glad he had gotten Jamie out of the cockpit first.

With a sudden totter and a faint hiss the D-Bison found its feet. Liger came skidding to a halt, kicking sand all over Brad as he instinctively put a shielding arm around Jamie's head.

"Did you see that?" Brad thought Bit was referring to his success in getting the D-Bison up until he saw Bit was pointing at a distant shape in the sky. "Leena just blasted her way out of that Whale King!"

In the next second Jamie was scrambling to his feet to get a better view, letting out a joyful shout of, "That's my Terras!"

Well, at least Jamie had recovered, after giving his teammates a scare like that.

"Now we're all accounted for, let's get out of here," Brad said to get the other two moving. He did keep half an eye on Jamie as he climbed back up into the D-Bison, but that was all.

When he got back to the hover cargo and saw the shape that Jamie's precious Terras was in, well. . . all he could do was drag Bit upstairs with him and give Jamie a little privacy to assess the damage.


	2. Bits and Pieces

"Hey, I'm back!"

Bit didn't exactly expect a chorus of delight at his arrival, but the resounding silence was still a little annoying.

"Yo, Jamie!" Bit shouted, waving at the figure up on the catwalk. He was sure the other pilot wouldn't ignore him outright.

Jamie came up to the railing when Bit called him by name. "Welcome back. Did you have any more luck today?" If his heart wasn't in the question, Bit didn't care. He was going to answer it anyway.

"Yeah! I took your advice and went north this time. There were practically whole zoids out lying around for the taking up there. Hey, come see what I found!"

"I'm in the middle of something right now."

Bit already knew that. When he had left Jamie had been trying to sort out what parts of the Terras's armor could be repaired and what would have to go. From where Bit was standing it didn't look like he had made any headway at all.

"It'll cheer you up. Come on, Jamie. Don't make me come up there and get you!"

"Alight, alright."

Jamie made a show of reluctance as he took the lift down, but Bit knew he didn't want to be contemplating scrapping parts of his beloved zoid. Besides, Bit was sure this would end Jamie's moping. By the time Jamie reached his truck and climbed up to look in the back Bit was practically dancing with impatience. It was all he could do not to just blurt out the surprise.

Watching Jamie's eyes go wide was worth his unaccustomed stint of patience. When Jamie let out a joyful cry and leaned in to better examine the parts Bit couldn't help grinning in response.

"But this is exactly what I need to repair the Terras!"

Jamie's expression of amazed gratitude was worth every piece Bit had been forced to pass up because he was loaded up on flying zoid parts. Bit took a moment to just bask in that glowing admiration. _Jamie_ had never mocked his profession or called him a thief, and here was proof of how useful his scavenging skills could be.

"You're not just giving me these parts, are you?"

"Of course I am. I'm not _Brad_, you know!" Bit was too taken aback to even be offended at the question.

Before he could make up his mind to be annoyed, Jamie had jumped down from the back of the truck and hugged him hard.

"Thank you, Bit!"

He looked all at once elated and embarrassed. Bit couldn't help laughing as he gave Jamie a friendly thump on the back.

"No problem. Besides, dinner's always late when you're in a bad mood."


End file.
